Douglas Russell is a veteran Manhattan real estate broker with more than 25 years of experience. A consummate professional, he has brokered over $800 million in condominium, cooperative, and townhouse sales across the city and boasts an enviable track record as the preeminent condo hotel specialist in New York City.
Doug was among the first brokers to recognize the long-term value of luxury condo hotel ownership and played a pivotal role in the success of Trump International Hotel & Tower at 1 Central Park West. He sold more than a quarter of the building’s 167 residences prior to opening, purchased two suites for himself, and became a founding member of the hotel’s board alongside Donald Trump. He has remained an active board member for the past 27 years, replacing Donald Trump as President of the condominium board in 2017 and continuing to serve in that role today.
Doug’s enduring success is reflected in a record 250 sales in the hotel portion of Trump International—more than the combined Manhattan brokerage community—as well as the sale of 51 condominiums at the Galleria (110 East 57th Street), 53 at the Belaire (524 East 72nd Street), and 25 at Park Avenue Place (60 East 55th Street). He has also sold more than 65 cooperative apartments at 860/870 United Nations Plaza and 30 at 880 Fifth Avenue. Beyond New York, Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago engaged Doug to analyze and implement strategies to improve hotel sales; his recommendations were put into effect, he trained the sales staff, and the resulting momentum led to brisk sales, including 16 units referred by Doug—among them the six most expensive two-bedroom residences in the building.
A consistent top 10% sales broker at Brown Harris Stevens year after year, Doug joined the firm after a successful career as a stockbroker at Merrill Lynch. Creative and inspired deals are what set him apart. Through his contacts and ingenuity, he was able to broker a $38 million bulk purchase for a high-end travel club with difficult short term usage requirements in a new development where they could purchase 20 two-bedroom units.
Doug is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he attended on a tennis scholarship. A highly competitive platform tennis player, he holds more than 20 national and world championship titles. He is the author of two published books on the sport, has developed and sold signature paddles, and was inducted into the Platform Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007. He also enjoys playing squash and has competed at the national level, earning second place at the U.S. Senior Squash Championships in 2023.
A long-time New Yorker, Doug has lived in the same cooperative building for more than 30 years. Over time, he has purchased three separate apartments within the building and combined and renovated them into a single residence. Deeply involved in the life of his co-op, he has served as Board President and Treasurer and currently holds the role of Vice President.
